Conservatives

New Tory MP pictured with alleged far-right activists

Investigation called for after Dehenna Davison linked with ‘extremist individuals’

Calls have been made for an investigation after photographs emerged linking a newly elected Tory MP with two alleged far-right activists.

Dehenna Davison, the MP for Bishop Auckland and a prominent member of the party’s new contingent of northern representatives, was pictured holding a County Durham flag with Andrew Foster, a man described by anti-racism campaigners as a “Muslim-hating extremist of the very worst kind”.

The images, revealed following an investigation by the campaign group Hope Not Hate show the MP with Foster at a party celebrating Brexit in a pub on 31 January. At the same event she was also pictured with Colin Raine, a former Tory activist banned from the party after allegations that he was behind a far-right protest and made Islamophobic comments online. Raine has denied that he has any far-right links.

Davison, 26, sought to distance herself from any links with the two men. “These photos were taken at an event open to the public and I in no way whatsoever condone the views highlighted of the individuals concerned,” she said in a statement.

However, Matthew McGregor, Hope Not Hate’s campaigns director, called for Davison’s suspension and urged the Conservative party to launch an investigation into the “serious allegations”.

His calls were joined by Labour’s shadow equalities minister, Dawn Butler, who said the incident was “another example of the serious level of complacency towards the far right by the Tory party”.

She added: “This must be urgently investigated.”

McGregor said the campaign group had been following the activities of Foster and Raine, a former Bishop Auckland Conservative council candidate, for some time.

Describing the pair as “extreme individuals” who “should be unwelcome at any mainstream political party gathering”, he said they appeared to “move closely with the local Bishop Auckland Conservative Association and the new MP”.

An online account, thought to be Raine’s, alleges he met with Davison in April at a public event, a month after the party said he was banned from rejoining.

On 12 December, the same account also posted a clip of Davison purportedly filmed at a local pub as the exit polls came in, describing her as “our candidate”.

Separately, Facebook pictures emerged allegedly showing Foster burning a Qur’an and posing next to a racist message that read “Fuck Pakis”.

Hope Not Hate claims Foster also attended rallies organised by the English Defence League and Britain First and is alleged to have commented on a picture of Adolf Hitler on Facebook, saying: “We need some more of this spirit in our town mate … show these f***ers once and for all.”

A Twitter account that allegedly belonged to Foster and has since been suspended also called the dictator a “great man” and wished him a happy birthday.

Meanwhile, it is claimed that Raine organised a protest outside the former Labour MP Helen Goodman’s office, which included members of the far-right groups the Democratic Football Lads Alliance and the North East Infidels. Foster is among those who appeared to be at the protest in 2017.

McGregor added: “Davison must answer serious questions about her connections with far-right figures. These extreme individuals should be unwelcome at any mainstream political party gathering, but it appears that they still move closely with the local Bishop Auckland Conservative Association and the new MP.

“The controversy surrounding these two men means that it is hard to believe that the local party did not know who they were. Davison must explain why she was associating with these two individuals.

“It is important for our politics generally, and the Conservatives specifically, that the party aggressively rejects any association with the far right.”

Raine said: “My only links are I’m conservative and working class just as my parents were, I’m no fan of Labour or the extreme left especially they are now full of extreme evil … I’m a working-class Thatcherite and that’s as far as l go, I’m not far right, I hate both extremes even Ukip were too far right for me. Politics used to be fun years ago but I’m afraid nowadays it’s not … I’m not a member of any political party.”

The Conservative party, which has been contacted for a comment, confirmed that neither Raine nor Foster are members of the party.

• This article was amended on 14 February 2020 because an earlier version described Hope Not Hate as a charity instead of a campaign group.